About Storage Authority Franchise
Storage Authority is a self storage franchise that allows owners to establish and operate storage facilities under the Storage Authority brand.
The business model offers flexibility through multiple paths to ownership, including constructing new facilities, converting existing self storage properties, or operating the Storage Authority Express format for smaller locations.
Franchising since 2015, Storage Authority requires an initial franchise fee of $39,000.
Storage Authority Franchise Cost & Fees
Minimum Investment
$4.6M
Average Investment
$5.2M
Maximum Investment
$5.8M
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $39,000 | One-time payment upon signing |
| Royalty Fee | 6% of Gross Revenues, or $1,950 per month, whichever is greater of gross sales | Ongoing; paid monthly |
| Marketing/Ad Fund | 2.5% of Gross Revenues (Marketing, Sales, Technology and Website Fee) | National brand fund |
| Total Investment Range | $4,595,000 – $5,787,000 | Includes build-out, inventory, working capital |
The investment range of $4.6M–$5.8M reflects variability in build-out costs, store size, lease terms, and market. The combined royalty (6% of Gross Revenues, or $1,950 per month, whichever is greater) and marketing fee (2.5% of Gross Revenues (Marketing, Sales, Technology and Website Fee)) are ongoing costs paid as a percentage of gross sales.
Investment Breakdown (Item 7)
| Item | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee (Note 1) | $39,000 | $39,000 |
| Development Dynamic Ease Series Guidebook (Note 2) | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Design, Testing, Market Study, Phase 1 Enviro, Site Development & Building(s) (Note 3) | $4,200,000 | $5,200,000 |
| Costs/expenses associated with attending training in Sarasota, FL | $6,000 | $10,000 |
| Office equipment, furniture, supplies, computer system, equipment | $15,000 | $25,000 |
| Initial Website and Management Software Set Up Fee (Note 4) | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Signage & Logo Inventory | $50,000 | $90,000 |
| Initial Inventory | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Permits, Licenses, Insurance, Utility deposits, Professional fees (Note 5) | $50,000 | $80,000 |
| Additional Funds and Working Capital for 18 Months (new facility) (Note 6) | $200,000 | $300,000 |
Additional Fees (Item 6)
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 |
| Renewal Fee | 4% of the gross sales price if the outlet is being sold (or, if not, 4% of the appraised value determined by a Certified Business Valuations Appraiser that we hire and you must pay for.) (This is a non-renewal or early termination fee, not a renewal fee itself.) |
| Technology Fee | Included in 2.5% of Gross Revenues (Marketing, Sales, Technology and Website Fee) |
| Late Payment Charge | Greater of $100 or 10% of overdue amount |
| Approved Supplier, etc. Evaluation & Testing Fee | $100 per hour with a $100 minimum, plus expenses |
| Repeat Training – New Manager Training Fee | $150 per hour (plus expenses if travel is required) |
| Customer Service (resolving complaints) | Any costs and fees incurred |
| Property Management Software Fee | $280/month |
| Property Access Control Software | $75 - $150/month |
| Commercial Symbol Update Expenses | Any costs associated with updating, discontinuing, adding, or substituting any Marks |
| System Improvements | Varies (nominal amount to a more substantial cost) |
| Indemnification | Varies depending on costs and damages incurred |
| Consulting Fee | $150 per hour plus travel expenses |
| Secret Shopper Fee | $300 - $400 per Quarter |
| Non-Renewal or Early Termination Fee | 4% of the gross sales price if the outlet is being sold (or, if not, 4% of the appraised value determined by a Certified Business Valuations Appraiser that we hire and you must pay for.) |
| Management Fees (temporary) | Varies (monthly from ongoing sales) |
| Costs and Attorney Fees | Varies (at conclusion of legal proceeding) |
Training Program (Item 11)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Total Duration | 49 hours |
| Classroom Training | 49 hours (Approximately 28 hours are online before attending) |
| Training Location | Corporate office in Sarasota, Florida, or self-storage facilities in Connecticut, or online training at franchisor's discretion. |
| Additional Training | Franchisor may require franchisees or managers to attend additional training or refresher courses if deemed necessary or if a new manager is hired and not adequately trained. |
Territory Rights (Item 12)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Territory Type | Exclusive |
| Exclusive Territory | Yes |
| Territory Size | 3 mile radius (5 mile radius in rural areas for New Construction/Conversion); 1 mile radius for Storage Authority Express outlets. |
| Description | For Conversion of an Existing Facility, an exclusive territory of a 3-mile radius (or 5-mile in rural areas) around the location is designated. For New Construction, a non-exclusive 'Search Area' is designated first, then an exclusive territory of a 3-mile radius (or 5-mile in rural areas) around the agreed-upon site. For Storage Authority Express, a non-exclusive 'Search Area' is designated for three sites, with a 1-mile radius exclusive territory around each agreed-upon site. Territories are defined by radius from the property or by street boundaries, highways, counties, or political subdivisions on a map. |
Renewal, Termination & Transfer (Item 17)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Initial Term | 10 years from Certificate of Occupancy |
| Renewal Term | Successive terms of 10 years each |
| Renewal Fee | No specific renewal fee mentioned, but a non-renewal or early termination fee of 4% of gross sales price applies if electing not to renew or if franchisor terminates due to breach. |
| Renewal Conditions | Franchisee must be in good standing, provide written notice within 180 days prior to expiration, and may be required to sign the then-current Franchise Agreement (which may have materially different terms) and a general release of claims. |
| Transfer Fee | $10,000 |
| Transfer Conditions | Proposed transferee must meet franchisor's qualification standards (financial strength, business experience, etc.), all franchisee obligations must be satisfied, transfer fee paid, transferee signs current franchise agreement and ancillary agreements, transferee completes training, and franchisee signs a general release. Franchisor must approve material terms and conditions of assignment. |
| Termination for Cause | Franchisor can terminate with cause for various defaults, including abandonment (10 consecutive days), insolvency, unsatisfied judgments (45 days), criminal conviction, misuse of marks, unauthorized disclosure, non-compete violation, uncured defaults (45 days after notice), and failure to make payments (10 calendar days after notice). |
| Non-Compete Period | During the term of the franchise: No involvement in any competing business in the United States. After termination/non-renewal: 1 year. |
| Non-Compete Details | During the term of the franchise, franchisee shall not directly or indirectly offer a self-storage business in the United States, except under a Storage Authority agreement. After termination, non-renewal, or sale, franchisee shall not directly or indirectly offer a self-storage business within their former Territory or within 5 miles of its boundaries for one year. This also applies to other franchisee territories. |
Operations & Supply (Items 8 & 15)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Owner-Operator Required | Yes |
| Participation Details | Unless a competent, adequately trained manager is hired, the franchisee must personally participate on a full-time basis in the direct operation of the business. Any hired manager(s) must be adequately trained to the franchisor's satisfaction (or by the franchisor at additional cost) and must sign a written confidentiality agreement. Prior approval of any third-party manager is required. |
| Required Suppliers | Franchisee must purchase all products and services only from approved suppliers listed in the Operations Manual. Franchisor specifies computer hardware and software, e-mail addresses, furniture, fixtures, equipment, signs, and supplies. Designated vendors for property management software (SiteLink) and property access control software (Open Tech Alliance) are required. |
| Supply Restrictions | Franchisee must use advertising templates provided by franchisor or obtain approval for own materials. Must purchase specified computer hardware and software, use specified e-mail addresses, and purchase furniture, fixtures, and equipment according to specifications. Signs and supplies must be purchased from approved vendors according to specifications. Facility management software (SiteLink) and property access control software (Open Tech Alliance) are designated. |
| Franchisor Revenue from Suppliers | In fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, franchisor did not derive revenue from required purchases or leases by franchisees, but received referral fees of 1-2% of the contract price from contractors for construction services. Franchisor reserves the right to derive revenue from required purchases in the future. |
Financing (Item 10)
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Financing Available | Yes |
| Description | Franchisor does not offer direct financing but may refer franchisees to lenders with SBA 7(a) & 504 Loan Programs, Traditional Conventional Commercial Loans, Bank Five Nine Financial, and Live Oak Bank. These programs offer financing for real estate, business acquisitions, construction, debt refinancing, equipment, inventory, and working capital. Required equity contributions range from 10% to 35%, and loan amounts vary from $500,000 to $20,000,000+. All loans are subject to bank underwriting and SBA requirements, and typically require personal guarantees from owners with 20% or greater interest. |
Storage Authority Franchise Earnings — Item 19
Storage Authority does not make an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. This means they do not disclose revenue, profit, or earnings data for franchised locations. Before investing, ask the franchisor directly for franchisee contact information so you can speak with existing owners about their actual financial performance.
Storage Authority does not include an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD. Contact information for current and former franchisees is listed in Item 20 of the FDD.
Storage Authority Litigation & Risk Flags
Clean Litigation RecordStorage Authority has no pending litigation actions listed in their FDD. There is also no bankruptcy history disclosed.
Litigation and bankruptcy data is sourced from Items 3 and 4 of the FDD. Always verify current status directly from the most recent FDD.
Storage Authority System Growth
Total Units
3
Franchised
1
Company-Owned
2
Storage Authority currently operates 1 franchised locations and 2 company-owned units. Unit count data is sourced from Item 20 of the FDD.
Unit History (Item 20)
| Year | Opened | Closed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Transfers: 0 | Closures: 3
State Registrations
Registered in 14 states: CA, HI, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NY, ND, RI, SD, VA, WA, WI
Franchisor Financials (Item 21)
Revenue
$420K
Net Income
$42K
Total Assets
$797K
Audited by MONIS J. SIDDIQUI, CPA P.C. for year ending December 31.
Storage Authority Franchise — FAQ
The total investment to open a Storage Authority franchise ranges from $4,595,000 to $5,787,000, per their Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the initial franchise fee of $39,000. The investment covers build-out, inventory, equipment, signage, working capital, and other startup costs.
Storage Authority charges a royalty fee of 6% of Gross Revenues, or $1,950 per month, whichever is greater of gross sales, plus a 2.5% of Gross Revenues (Marketing, Sales, Technology and Website Fee) contribution to the marketing/advertising fund. These fees are paid on an ongoing basis.
You can download the Storage Authority Franchise Disclosure Document free on this page. The FDD is a public document filed with state franchise registries. Always also request the current FDD directly from Storage Authority to ensure you have the most up-to-date version.
Storage Authority does not provide an Item 19 financial performance representation in their FDD, which means they do not disclose franchisee revenue or earnings data. Prospective investors should contact existing franchisees directly (listed in Item 20 of the FDD) to gather real-world financial performance information.
Storage Authority has been franchising since 2015. The FDD shows an investment range of $4,595,000-$5,787,000, a 6% of Gross Revenues, or $1,950 per month, whichever is greater royalty, and includes an Item 19 earnings disclosure. There is no pending litigation. Review the full FDD and contact current franchisees listed in Item 20 before making any investment decision.
The franchise fee is $39,000 and the total investment ranges from $4,595,000 to $5,787,000 depending on location size and market. Contact the franchisor directly for current net worth and liquid capital requirements, territory availability, and application details.
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Data Source & Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to sell or buy a franchise. This profile is based on publicly available FDD data sourced from state franchise registry filings. All information is for research purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Data may be outdated or contain errors. Always obtain the current FDD directly from Storage Authority and consult a qualified franchise attorney before making any investment decision. FranchiseOverview.com is operated by Franchising Compliance, LLC and is not affiliated with Storage Authority or any of its subsidiaries. To report an inaccuracy: info@franchiseoverview.com